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Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Easter - What do Colored Eggs, Bunnies and Hot-Cross Buns Have to do With Honoring Jesus and God?

From early childhood you may have been told that Easter is a Christian celebration that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. However, rather than being a Christian celebration, many authoritative works of history clearly show that Easter is pagan, with roots deep in ancient sex worship.

If Easter were truly a Christian celebration, why the eggs and rabbits? What connection could they have with the resurrection of Jesus Christ? Obviously none whatsoever. They are traditional in Easter because the ancient pagans used them when celebrating their spring festival. Both were important symbols in pagan sex worship.

Even the very name of this celebration in English ("Easter") is the name of a pagan goddess. Many of the customs originally used in worshiping this ancient European goddess are the same ones used today in celebrating Easter.

Confirming its pagan background, The Catholic Encyclopedia, edition of 1909, states in Volume 5, on page 227:

"A great many pagan customs, celebrating the return of spring, gravitated to Easter. The egg is the emblem of the germinating life of early spring. . . . The rabbit is a pagan symbol and has always been an emblem of fertility."

In harmony with this The Encyclopedia Americana, edition of 1956, states in Volume 9, on page 506: "According to the Venerable Bede, English historian of the early 8th century, the word [Easter] is derived from the Norse Ostara or Eostre, meaning the festival of spring at the vernal equinox, March 21, when nature is in resurrection after winter. Hence, the rabbits, notable for their fecundity, and the eggs, colored like rays of the returning sun and the northern lights or aurora borealis."

"Children roll pasch eggs in England. Everywhere they hunt the many-colored Easter eggs, brought by the Easter rabbit. This is not mere child's play, but the vestige of a fertility rite, the eggs and the rabbit both symbolizing fertility. Furthermore, the rabbit was the escort of the Germanic goddess Ostara who gave the name to the festival by way of the German Ostern." - Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology and Legend, edition of 1949, Volume one, page 335.

That the celebration finds no authorization in the Holy Scriptures or precedent among early Christians is pointed out by The Encyclopædia Britannica, eleventh edition, Volume 8, page 828:

"There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament, or in the writings of the apostolic Fathers. The sanctity of special times was an idea absent from the minds of the first Christians. . . . The ecclesiastical historian Socrates (Hist. Eccl. v. 22) states, with perfect truth, that neither the Lord nor his apostles enjoined the keeping of this or any other festival . . . and he attributes the observance of Easter by the church to the perpetuation of an old usage, `just as many other customs have been established.'" The old usage was the practice of pagans to have a festival in honor of their goddess of spring.

Why Should True Christians Care?

So why should true Christians care if Easter's origins have pagan associations? Because true Christians should want to know that God does not approve of certain customs if they originate with false religion or are against Bible teachings. (Matthew 15:6) God makes it clear through His Word the Bible that if a Christan intentionally participates in a holiday or custom, it must have absolutely no known pagan religion associations. (Deut. 5:7-9; Exodus 23:13; 2 Cor. 6:17)

Easter - Who Does It Really Honor? (Jehovah's Witnesses United)
"What is the meaning and origin of Easter? Who is honored by the holiday? What are its symbols? Were early Christians commanded to celebrate Easter? Should true Christians celebrate Easter today? The first four questions, and more, will be answered in this paper..."

Should We Celebrate Holidays? (bh p. 222-p. 223; Watchtower Online Library)
"There is no indication of the observance of the Easter festival in the New Testament," states The Encyclopædia Britannica. How did Easter get started?

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